Mobile electrostatic precipitator



MOBILE ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR Filed Feb. 1, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR $2, LAWRENCE M. ROBERTS O LO ATTORNEYS Filed Feb. 1, 1965MOBILE ELEGI'ROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VENTOR LAWRENCEM. ROBERTS ATTORNEYS Oct. 8, 1968 L.. M. RDBERTS 3,404,513

MOBILE ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR Filed Feb. 1, 1965 ATTORNEYS INVENTORLAWFQENCE M. ROBERTS ats o pFiled Feb. 1, 196s, ser. No. 429,288.

2 Claims, (Cl. 55-107 ABSTRACT on THE, DISCLOSURE Apparatus for removingfog from roadways and runways which comprises .a mobile -percipitatortrailer adapted to be moved along the roadway to be cleared of fog anddispelling the moisture'free air generally upwardly to reduce therelative humidity of the air in the zoneof the fog. I i

This invention relates toan electrostatic precipitator and moreparticularly to an ambulatory mobile electrostatic precipitator in thegeneral form of a vehicle which may be towed by a prime mover. t is wellknown to'air travellers, the presence of fog at an -airport can causedelays up to several hours and, if the fog is particularly severe orlong lasting, can completely defeat any efforts to land a plane at suchan airport, unless the 'airport'is provided with the most expensive andup-to-d'ate navigational devices. Certain types of mists or 'fogs'whichmay be defined as a type of colloidal suspension are known to exist inmore or less discrete clumps or volumes, much as in the case with manytypes ofclouds. In such instances, it is possible to considerablyimprove visibility conditions by breaking up or-dispelling the fog,since its removal would not be accompanied by an ever presentreplenishment of the fog.

f the variety of means propounded for defeating fog conditions atairports, the present apparatus is very attractive because of itspractical solution to the problem.

According to this invention, an apparatus for removing certain typesof-"fogs and mists from landing strips at airports:comprises anelectrostatic precipitator adapted torbe moved over or along a runway orrunways. Further, according to another practice of the presentinvention, an electrostatic precipitator is employed to removeparticulatematerial from dirty gases at incinerators, foundries, and thelike, especially when the latter are used on a not toofrequentscheduling basis. As an example of this 1atter=utility exhibitedby the present invention, a suburban incinerator adapted to be employedonly one or two days a week may be serviced by the ambulatoryelectrostatic precipitator ofthisinvention, and thus circumvent the needfor the, otherwise expensive provision of the incinerator withelectrostatic gas cleaning means.

It is, accordingly, an object of thepresent invention to remove fogs andmists of certain types from the vicinity of airport runways by moving.an electrostatic field through the mist or fog on the runway to therebybreak down the suspenslon of water droplets in the air which give riseto the fog." 4

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mobileelectrostatic precipitator which may be moved along the runways of anairport to thereby dispel fogs and mists so that the operator of anairplane will be able to clearly see the runway surface when theaircraft is just above the runway.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mobileelectrostatic precipitator trailer having a fan and motor attachedthereto to thereby provide a forced flow means to thereby increase theefiiciency of the electrostatic precipitator unit carried thereby.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mobileelectrostatic precipitator trailer having forced 3,404,513 Patented 8,I968 flow means therein in combination with means for lecting Water forsubsequent discharge to waste.

It is a further object of the present. invention to provide a mobileelectrostatic precipitator trailer'including an electrostaticprecipitator in combination with, a forced convection means togetherwith" means for directing' the cleaned air substantially verticallyupwardly'tothereby assist in dispelling fog from an adjacent runway.at'an airport. I l These and other objects and advantages from thepractice of the present invention will be apparent from the followingdescription.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the mobile precipitator trailer ofthis invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view taken from the foot of the trailer;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a partially schematic side elevational view showing the mobileprecipitator trailer of this invention coupled to a foundry,incinerator, or the like by means of a flexible hose or other coupling.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the numeral 10denotes generally the mobile precipitator trailer of this invention andincludes a front intake portion denoted by the numeral 12, and a rearportion 14.

A generally rectangular and outwardly flaring continuous lip 16functions as an intake orifice with a rotating fan 18 driven by motor 20located generally centrally of the intake. The numeral 22 denotes aperforated screen such that the combined area of the perforationstherein is substantially equal to the combined area of the imperforateportions thereof to allow an opening ratio of approximately 50 percent.The numeral 24 denotes the sides of the trailer having a top portion 26and bottom portions 28, with the latter having generally sloping sidesand terminating each in a valve or tap 30. As will be observed from FIG.1, there are three such sets of sloping bottoms 28 each terminating in atap, each set corresponding to a bank of electrostatic precipitators.

The mobile precipitator trailer is provided with a plurality of wheels32 conventionally mounted on the underside thereof with the frontportion of the trailer provided with a tow bar 34 adapted to be attachedto a mobile vehicle for pulling. The vehicle, however, may have its ownprime mover and steering means offset to one side or positioned at therearward end thereof.

The numeral 40 denotes any one of the plurality of upper access conduitsgenerally cylindrical in form and covered by top closure plates. Each ofsuch access ports surrounds an upstanding electrical terminal 42, withthe intermediate access units 40 each containing two such terminal-swhile the outermost units contain a single such terminal. A high tensionline 44, denoted by a dashed line, is led from a high voltagetransformer 46 through a suitable insulator 47 in the top portion 26 ofthe trailer and is coupled to terminals 42, there being threeconnections, one for each bank of electrostatic precipitator units. Thetransformer output is controlled by a switchboard assemblage 48 andsuitable voltage control means."

Each terminal 42 communicates with a downwardly extending metallicsupport rod 50 extending into the bottom portions of each of theelectrostatic precipitator banks. In each bank there are a plurality ofhorizontally disposed cross-rods 52, two of which are secured as bywelding to the rods 50. As illustrated at FIG. 3 of the drawings, eachhorizontally disposed rod 52 is secured to end horizontal rods 54extending at right angles thereto, also as by welding or the like. Rods52 carry, at the bottom portions thereof, hooks 59a which engage thelower ends of a plurality of vertically extending high tension dischargeelectrodes or wires 58. The upper ends of thewires engage hooks 59.Hooks 59-a're secured to' a plurality of horizontally extending bars52a. The lower hook's' 59ahave straight body portions which extendthrough apertures in the lower rods, with the extending portions of thehooks surrounded by compression springs 60 to thereby provide a tensionof approximately two pounds on the high tension lines 58.

The high tension lines are situated between and generally parallel to aplurality of collecting plate-type electrodes 70, each of which isprovided, at spaced longitudinal points, with outwardly flaring angularportions 72. These angular portions 72, extending or flaring on bothsides of plates 70, function to impart desired flow characteristics togas passing through the electric precipitator bank. Such flared portionsare shown and described in US. Patent 2,826,262 to Byerly. As will beobserved from FIG. 1, only the first (right-most) electrostaticprecipitator bank is provided with the angular flaring portions 72.

The upper portions of plates are coupled, as by welding, threadedfasteners, or any other convenient fastening means, to intermediatefastening plates 74, with the upper portions of the latter being alsosuitably coupled to downwardly extending tab portions 76 fixed to theunderside of top or roof portion 26.

It will be observed that, except for the flared portions or vanes 72 ofthe first electrostatic precipitator bank, all of the electrostaticprecipitator banks are identical in construction.

A plurality of access doors 80 are provided at one side 24 of thetrailer. The rear portion of the internal flow passageway through thetrailer is provided with a biased conduit portion 82 and an upwardlyextending conduit portion 84 to thereby define an exit port or orifice86 for the discharge of the cleaned gas. The numerals 90 each denote anyone of a plurality of nozzles suitably coupled to a pump 92 for theinjection of a fluid to clean the particular gas being treated or forthe discharge of a suitably charged dust or other small particulatematerial to assist in the cleaning process.

In operation, after suitable adjustment of the controls of switchboard48, transformer 46 is energized and the trailer 10 is towed by means oftow bar 34 through an area of fog. The motor 20, also energized, turnsfan 18 causing an ingress of fog into the flow path defined by the majorinterior portion of the trailer 10. Any large particulate matter or anytrash, papers or the like will be stopped by screen 22 with theremainder of the fluid stream passing between the interplate spaces ofthe electrostatic precipitator banks. The high tension wires 58 arepreferably negatively charged, with the ground from transformer 46 beingsuitably secured to the metallic frame of the trailer. The waterdroplets which constitute the fog are thereby given a negative chargeand the positively charged plates 70 draw the droplets thereto. Uponstriking plates 70, the water droplets become separated from the airwith the water from the droplets falling downwardly on the sides ofplate 70' and onto the bottom portions 28 of each of the banks and thenoutwardly through taps 30. The air which has been freed from the waterdroplets exits from the trailer through orifice 86. This exiting air,now much dryer, is directed upwardly through port 86 and assists inclearing the runaway area, by both absorbing moisture from theatmosphere immediately above the runway and by "blowing the fogupwardly. The overall length of the mobile precipitator trailerillustrated at FIG. 1 is approximately 27 feet. Other'parameters such asthe spacings between the plates 70, the particular potential employed intransformer 46, etc., are well within the purview of those skilled inthis art and further descriptionthereof will notbe given,

Referring now to FIG. 4-ofthe drawings, thernobile precipitator trailer10 according to this inventionis provided with a large flexible conduithaving one end secured to the input end 12 of thetrailer and having itsother end secured to the outletof an incinerator, a foundry, or thelike, denoted, generally by the numeral 102. In many industrialinstallations, as well as in many smaller residential areas, there isa'definite needto periodically dispose of, by way of burning, trash orthe like. Unless the burning is on a continuous basis, as would be thecase in a large metropolitan area, the need for and consequently theexpense of electrostatic precipitator action is not justified and a unitsuch as the mobile precipitator trailer of this invention in combinationwith a large flexible conduit such as 100 provides an ideal solution forthis problem. Accordingly, at scheduled times, the mobile precipitatortrailer is pulled to the vicinity of an incinerator 102 or the like,with the flexible coupling 100 being made. In the event that 102 is anincinerator or the like, giving off rather large proportions ofparticulate matter, a fluid spray through nozzles 90 is generallydesirable.

What is claimed is: t 1. A mobile electrostaticprecipitator trailerincluding, a housing unit having an intake fan positioned and mounted atone end thereof, a perforated screen posi-' tioned between said fan andsaid housing unit, said housing unit containing an electrostaticprecipitator defined by a plurality of vertically disposed ionizing andcollector electrodes, nozzle means positioned above said electrodes forsupplying a gas treating fluid into said unit, the bottom portion ofsaid housing unit which is below the said electrodes being downwardlysloped and terminating, at its lowest point, in an outlet adapted todischarge precipitated liquid, an exhaust conduit in fluid flowconnection with the other end of said housing unit, said exhaust conduithaving a horizontal intake portion adapted to receive flow of gas fromsaid fan and electrodes and a vertically disposed outflow portion, saidexhaust conduit having a plurality of flow directions changing vaneswithin it, means for supplying and controlling high voltage to saidelectrostatic precipitator, said means being positioned on the side ofsaid exhaust conduit remote from said fan. 2. The mobile electrostatictrailer of claim 1 including a plurality of said housing units in tandemrelationship to each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,357,466 11/1920 Moller .55--21,944,976 1/1934 Hamilton 55-356 1,982,470 11/1934 Franks 55 2 2,049,5618/1936 Grave 55-2 2,440,455 4/1948 White 55-2 2,756,842 7/1956Chamberlin et al. 55126 0 HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner.

